In recent decades, welding has become a dominant process in the manufacture and construction of various products. Applications for welding are widespread and used throughout the world for the construction and repair of ships, buildings, bridges, vehicles, and pipe lines, to name a few examples. Applications for welding even extend to the hobbyist. Portable welders allow the welder to perform his task on site instead of a factory floor. Because weld jobs are performed on site, there is an ongoing need to ensure that the entire portable welding unit can be safely and easily transported from site to site.
In portable welding units, all of the machinery necessary to weld metal is contained within a movable unit. Such portable welding units may include ground engaging wheels, and are further comprised of, among other items, an exterior weld gun and an exterior cable which must be moved with the unit during relocation. After completing a welding job, the weld gun is extremely hot and potentially hazardous. To reduce cable wear, some users pile the cable on top of the welding unit or wind the cable around a handle.